Promise
by Mon3lisa
Summary: Ed and Al are taken away to a concentration camp and along the journey, their memories and their promise remind them of how the events occurring to them at the moment were related to the past.
1. Chapter 1

**Promise**

**Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist is not mine and it is owned by Arakawa Hiromu. Don't sue me for my innocent love for the series.**

**Rate: PG -13**

**Warnings: Elricest. Disturbing scenes about the Holocaust. There are also slightly sex-related scenes.**

**Summary: Ed and Al are taken away to a concentration camp and along the journey, their memories and their promise remind them of how the events occurring to them at the moment were related to the past.**

**Author's comments: I was kinda angry when I realized that we never learned about homosexuals and the Holocaust at school. So I'm hoping that this fanfic will teach people about the horrors of Homosexual abuse. So I thank you for taking the time to read this.**

**In memory of the 500,000 who had lost their lives, simply for loving a Brother**

**_

* * *

"Hey, let's promise something."_**

_**"What?"**_

_**"Let's promise to do everything together and tell everything to each other."**_

_**"Ok."**_

_**The two boys crossed fingers and smiled.**_

_**"I'll never say nothing to you, Niichan."**_

_**"And I'll never do anything without you."**_

**Chapter 1**

"**Shit.." Ed whispered as he crumpled the September 1st 1935 edition of The Munich Times and tossed it into the trash. **

**He ran to the bedroom and shook his brother awake. "Niisan? What's wrong?" Al mumbled.**

**"We have to get outta here." Ed ran to the wardrobe and threw some clothes into a briefcase before running to the bathroom. **

**As he packed his toothbrush, Al walked in and asked, "Where are we going?" He was still in his tank top and his boxers (both garments needing some serious ironing). Ed took notice of this and annoyingly said, "Just put your clothes on, we don't have much time." Ed walked briskly past Al without looking at him.**

**Al grabbed his hand as he passed him and made Ed turn around. He hated it when he asked a question and the person wasn't honest. **

**And Ed was not giving him a full answer. **

"**What's going on?" Al asked slowly, trying to calm his brother down.**

**Ed yanked his hand back and didn't say anything. Al sighed and went to change.**

**After a while,**

"**Al."**

**Al turned around.**

"**Do you love me?"**

**--**

"_**Niichan?"**_

**_"Hmm?"_**

**_"Do those swans like each other?"_**

_**6 year old Edward Elric looked out over to the lake and found the two swans his little brother was pointing at. "They're making a heart so I guess so..Why do you ask?"**_

_**Alphonse Elric replied, "It's just that…aren't swans girls?"**_

_**Edward leaned back on his palms and said, "Yeah, so?"**_

_**Alphonse looked at his brother and said, "Well, you know..Girls aren't allowed to like each other.."**_

_**"Why not?"**_

_**Alphonse looked over at Edward. "It's ok?" he asked.**_

_**Edward tilted his head to the side, pondered for a while before he replied, "I bet those swans are sisters, see? Isn't it all right for sisters to like each other?"**_

_**Alphonse watched the swans glide away and tried to think with his 5 year old mind. "What about boys?"**_

_**Edward sighed and said, "Remember what Mother said? That we're all "Sons of God"? In other words, Brothers and Sisters?" **_

_**Alphonse nodded.**_

_**"If it's ok for brothers and sisters to like each other, then it's ok if two boys or two girls like each other." Edward smiled. "Don't you like me?" **_

_**Alphonse cuddles up to his brother and whispers, **_

"_**Always.."**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Promise**

**Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist is not mine and it is owned by Arakawa Hiromu. Don't sue me for my innocent love for the series.**

**Rate: PG -13**

**Warnings: Elricest. Disturbing scenes about the Holocaust. There are also slightly sex-related scenes.**

**Summary: Ed and Al are taken away to a concentration camp and along the journey, their memories and their promise remind them of how the events occurring to them at the moment were related to the past.**

**Author's comments: I think it's appropriate to teach readers about abuse so I'll write some things they did to the victims in the camps.**

**My German sucks ¦ D**

**

* * *

Chapter 2**

**Al was nothing but confused. "You know I do, why bother to ask?" **

**Ed looked away and said, "Nothing."**

**Al sighed and walked back to the bedroom.**

**The house was quiet except for the faint rustles of clothes being packed into suitcases. The faint rustles were soon drowned by sounds of marching getting closer to them.**

**Ed's face turned white. **

**"AL!!" Ed ran towards Al but before he could reach him, the door slammed open.**

**German officers piled into the living room, pointing their guns from all around.**

**"_Das est Edward Elric und Alphonse Elric?_" An officer asked.**

**"I.." Al started.**

**"_Get outside, _jetzt! _Now!"_ They were thrown outside and before they knew it, they were loaded onto a wagon and they rumbled away.**

**"Niisan!! What's going on!? Where are we going??" **

**This time, Ed could not answer.**

**--**

**_Alphonse tried not to look down. But it was so hard to fight his urges. _**

**_His fingers began to itch for feeling. _**

**_He wanted to touch his skin. _**

**_He wanted to so much. _**

**_He couldn't fight the need to feel his brother's warmth on his hand. _**

_**He tried to flex his fingers, hoping to relax them, but it didn't help at all. **_

_**Finally, he couldn't resist anymore. **_

**_He opened his hand and slid his fingers down Edward's back. There was a big splash and he saw his brother's angry face through the bubbles._**

_**"DON'T TOUCH ME!"**_

_**"S..sorry.." **_

**_Any 9 year old would have been curious about an older boy's body. But he couldn't help it; they both hadn't taken a bath together since Edward's 10th birthday. Since then, Edward refused to take a bath with Alphonse, since he claimed that big boys took baths alone. Alphonse had eagerly went inside the bathtub just minutes ago, only to find that he would only be seeing Edward's back and his short blonde hair._**

_**"If Pinako Baachan didn't make us take a bath together.." Edward muttered angrily, scrubbing his hair furiously.**_

_**Alphonse said nothing. He didn't want to remind Edward that in about an hour they would be attending Mother's funeral and Pinako Baachan thought it would save time if they took a bath together.**_

**_He didn't get to admire his brother's body before, so he used the time to watch Edward's hair begin to shine under the soap._**

**_"Will you stop staring at me? It's creeping me out."_**

**_"Sorry."_**

_**"..."**_

_**"Niichan?"**_

_**"What, now?"**_

_**"Why are we so different?"**_

_**"What the heck is that supposed to mean?"**_

**_"Well..you have blonde hair and I have dark hair..you're always in a bad mood, and you're.."_**

**_"okok. I don't know about the bad mood part but I do know something about our hair." Edward turned around and faced Alphonse._**

**_Alphonse's heart leapt and he had to fight another urge again. This time, in his eyes._**

**_Edward sighed. "I gotta admit it, Aru. You look like mom."_**

_**"What?" His eyes widened with surprise.**_

_**Edward got a little sad and said, "You remind me of her."**_

**_Alphonse felt a jolt of guilt. He got out of the tub and quietly dried his hair with a towel. He tried not to look at Edward. _I shouldn't have asked. _He thought miserably. He felt like he would be a burden to his beloved brother's days from then on._**

_**He didn't notice that Edward had gotten out of the tub too. He felt wet arms wrap around his chest and pull his back on his chest.**_

_**"Sorry. I didn't mean to say it that way.."**_

_**"No, Niichan. It's my fault. Leave me alone.."**_

_**"Aru." He buried his head in Alphonse's shoulder.**_

_**Alphonse felt tears fill his eyes. "What are we going to do?"**_

_**Edward didn't say anything. He continued to be silent throughout the funeral. He still said nothing until the sun had sunk into the hills. **_

_**But Alphonse knew that he could trust him. Edward always gave him the answer to every question he had.**_

_**And he did answer. Simply and calmly, he replied,**_

"_**Let's revive Mom."**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Promise**

**Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist is not mine and it is owned by Arakawa Hiromu. Don't sue me for my innocent love for the series.**

**Rate: PG -13**

**Warnings: Elricest. Disturbing scenes about the Holocaust. There are also slightly sex-related scenes.**

**Summary: Ed and Al are taken away to a concentration camp and along the journey, their memories and their promise remind them of how the events occurring to them at the moment were related to the past.**

**Author's comments: In an unknown concentration camp, the commander of that camp would line gays in a line and ordered them flogged. As they screamed in pain, he "was panting with excitement, and masturbated wildly in his trousers until he came," in front of the horrified men who weren't chosen to be whipped.**

**Sorry that some chapters are long and others are short ; **

**

* * *

Chapter 3**

**They rumbled away and Al huddled up to Ed. Ed put his arm around him and looked at the other men who were on board. Some were staring at their feet, knowing that they were going to be taken somewhere where they will be punished for their sin. Others were lying unconscious from being beaten by the officers.**

**As they went on for 30 minutes, Ed felt Al shivering under his arm. It was September but Germany had chilly autumns and they only had a vest to warm themselves. Ed rested his cheek on Al's head and stared out blankly, wondering if their destination will give them more pain than they already experienced in the past. **

**Ed soon noticed that the air started to smell of smoke and rotten meat. He looked up towards the front of the cart and saw a giant door that said, "ARBEIT MACHT FRET" _Work will set you free?_, Ed wondered, _I guess this world does have equivalent change too... _The cart went inside.**

**"_Out of the cart_! Jetzt!" Ed, Al, and the other prisoners were forced out of the cart. Al grabbed Ed's arm and shot scared glances at the German officers before them. " _Stand in line, you stupid man whores!"_ **

**"Niisan..tell me this is a dream.." Al whispered.**

**Ed felt a lump in his throat. He closed his eyes.**

**Alphonse trembled. "Please, Brother...A stupid, meaningless dream.."**

**--**

**_They did not hug or do anything that showed affection since Mother's death._**

_**Nor did they think about it, so it was a big realization to Alphonse that they had not acted like lovers for 5 years.**_

_**Alphonse had realized this now since he never watched over Edward before. He usually stared out of the window, wondering what they would do the next day, since his suit of armour didn't let him sleep. But for some reason, he chose to sit on his bed and watch his brother sleep. As he sat there, he thought about him and how he never really appreciated the fact that during all those nights, Edward would be free to Alphonse and he would be able to do anything with him. **_

_**But maybe the real reason why he chose to stay was because Edward was behaving strangely. He was tossing around, groaning every so often and was sweating a lot. **_

_**"A..Aru.." he gasped.**_

_**Alphonse felt his blood seal skip a beat (if that was possible) and cringed. He shook his metal head, and got up to get a towel. As he dabbed his brother's forehead, he wondered if he ought to wake him from his dream. Alphonse felt ashamed that he was wondering about something that should have an easy answer.**_

_**Edward's dream seemed to be severe; he was almost at the point of screaming and was desperately clutching the edges of the bed. His body was so tensed up that Alphonse was able to see his veins and his six-pack. Edward was gasping in short breaths and it was making Alphonse feel queasy.**_

_**Edward's lips were trembling and he suddenly shrieked.**_

"**_AL!!!!"_**

_**Alphonse jumped as Edward abruptly sat up in bed, gasping like as if he hadn't breathed all night. He was shaking horribly. **_

"_**Niisan?" **_

**_Edward heard him and with wide eyes, he flung his sweaty arms around his brother._**

"_**Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god.." **_

_**Alphonse couldn't tell if there were tears rolling down Edward's face since it was buried into the chest plate. But all that sobbing, was he really..? Alphonse wasn't sure. His brother never cries. **_

"_**I thought I lost you.." Edward whispered.**_

"_**Niisan..don't cry.." Alphonse tried to put his arms around him before Edward jumped back and put on a fake grin and formed arcs with his eyes.**_

"_**Me? Crying? Give me a break!" He laughed. "I never shed a tear for something as stupid as a stupid and meaningless dream!" He stood there with his hands on his hips, trying to look as cocky as ever.**_

_**But Alphonse wasn't buying it. He got up and put his arms around Edward. "It's ok. I can't see you anyway. Don't bottle your tears Niisan, it'll leak out someday at the wrong time."**_

"_**Stupid." Edward let out a shaky chuckle before things got quiet.**_

_**Alphonse rested his head on his brother's head and whispered, "Just like you said, Niisan. It was a stupid meaningless dream.."**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Promise**

**Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist is not mine and it is owned by Arakawa Hiromu. Don't sue me for my innocent love for the series.**

**Rate: PG -13**

**Warnings: Elricest. Disturbing scenes about the Holocaust. There are also slightly sex-related scenes.**

**Summary: Ed and Al are taken away to a concentration camp and along the journey, their memories and their promise remind them of how the events occurring to them at the moment were related to the past.**

**Author's comments: Eyewitnesses tell of homosexuals being tortured to death by tickling, by having their testicles immersed alternately into hot and icy water, and by having a broomstick pushed into their anus**

**

* * *

Chapter 4**

Ed and Al watched as the officers pointed left and right to each individual. Nobody knew if the left line was the crematorium and the right line the prison, but it didn't matter to Ed, as long as he was with his brother. He and Al were chosen to go on the right line and when they were done, an officer marched the left line towards a big building with giant chimneys. The air suddenly seemed to smell worse as the men walked towards their death.

**Everybody helplessly watched them walk away and someone began to chant a prayer. Only a few people joined in because that seemed to be the only thing they could do to help the poor souls.**

**The line walked numbly into a small barrack, where there was almost no air and bodies were pressed involuntarily together. Ed and Al tightened their grips and tried to find small amounts of air on the walls.**

**"_Take your clothes off,_" the commander ordered.**

**Everybody looked at each other and at the officers, their minds still blank from knowing that there were friends who were being burned alive at that moment. A shot rang out that thundered into their minds and caused them to shriek and duck. "JETZT!!" Ed almost couldn't take the commands that swirled menacingly in his chest but he started to unbutton his shirt with shaky fingers.**

**"Niisan.." A scared voice whispered.**

**"Just do it." Ed replied without looking up. He didn't want to see what the latest events did to his little brother.**

**"_Take off absolutely everything and leave them on the floor!_" **

**"_And our pants?"_ Someone asked.**

**"_Everything!"_**

**Al desperately tried to catch Ed's eyes but he only slipped his boxers down to his ankles and kicked it away.**

**"Why are you doing this!?"**

**"It's better than dying," Ed replied as he turned around. "Look straight ahead while you take it off. It'll be all right."**

**Al reluctantly took his clothes off and shivered in the September air.**

**Ed hugged him and whispered into his ear, "Remember, you're not alone. And you'll never be. We'll always be together. Always.."**

**--**

_**"Ok, Aru. It's all done."**_

_**"Mm-hmm."**_

_**"Are you sure about this?"**_

_**Alphonse looked back on the day before, when they revived his body with some of the Philosopher's Stone. He remembered how Edward had taken it to a tattoo parlour to put a blood seal on it. Ed had to lie that he was giving his dying brother a tattoo before he died. They somehow got away with it...and without paying.**_

_**"What a touching story!" the man cried with rivers for tears. "Seriously, I never heard of anyone carrying out his beloved sibling's final wish like this!"**_

**_"Aw, gee. I can't be _that_ good!" Edward mischievously grinned, amused by the man's obliviousness. _**

_**"Niisan, don't use my body for your own use," Al annoyingly muttered.**_

_**"What's that?"**_

_**"Uh..inside joke! Right, Aru?" **_

_**And here he was, eyeing the seal on his body's left arm; where just the day before he had looked with wonder and curiosity at the hair that had grown under it. In fact, when his body appeared they almost didn't recognize it. It belonged to a 15 year old with long brunette hair who was wearing shreds of clothing from 5 years ago. **_

_**It scared Alphonse that it had gone through puberty without him.**_

_**"Niisan...I'm sure."**_

_**Edward nodded and waited for Alphonse crouched in front of him, right on top of the array. Ed took off his helmet and placed his finger and thumb on the blood seal. He took a big breath and snapped the seal with his metal fingers.**_

_**Alphonse felt himself being pulled away to an enormous gate. Since he was all alone in a vast space with a foreboding gate that seemed to watch him, he shivered as a chill went up his spine. That was when he realized that he was in his natural body. He looked down at himself and saw flesh and bones, instead of a transparent soul. **_

_**The gate opened its doors slowly, causing Alphonse's heart to jump and his feet take a step backwards. A million hands shot out of the doors and flew towards him. He gasped in alarm. **_

_**"No! Wait!"**_

_**But the hands wouldn't listen, they pulled him inside the gate as he fought and screamed. The doors were beginning to shut when a pool of blue light appeared before it. The doors stopped in mid-closing. Even Alphonse was able to feel the power of the Stone in Edward's arms. **_

_**Edward lifted the armour up to the gate and shouted, "Take this! Take the Stone in exchange for me and my brother's soul and body!" **_

_**Alphonse felt some hands pull away from him and he relaxed a little. But he realized that they were going for his brother and the armour. **_

_**"Niisan! Look out!!"**_

_**But too late, the hands grabbed Edward and hauled him into the gate. Alphonse wrestled some more and stretched his arm out to his brother in the darkness.**_

_**"Please..be able to grab my hand this time..Please.." Alphonse whispered.**_

_**Their fingers found each other and everything went dark.**_

_**Al opened his eyes and blinked. He shifted his head and stopped, realizing that he felt cold dirt under his cheek. He lifted his hand and held it in front of his face.**_

_**He looked around and tried to call out but he was only able to croak. His whole body ached and he felt blood rush through his legs as he tried to stand up. But from not doing any exercise of any form, his legs fell limply the second he stood. So he crawled towards a wall. Every inch caused a bone to creak, he felt like a baby and an elderly person at the same time.**_

_**"Niisan.." he coughed, hoping to get his slightly deepened voice back in shape.**_

_**He saw a shadowed lump in the corner and fought exhaustion to get to it. He reached and touched it. The lump jerked awake.**_

_**"Alphonse?"**_

_**He fell in Edward's arms. He didn't even notice that his brother's right arm was warm and soft. He couldn't get up but even if he was able to, he wouldn't have. Alphonse somehow found the energy to put his arms around his waist and hug him tightly.**_

_**"Niisan, Niisan!" He cried happily.**_

_**He felt hot tears burn his cheeks and he eagerly poked his tongue out to lick them. It tasted sweet, even though it was salt water. He cried even more.**_

_**Edward gave a quivering chuckle. "Come on, Aru. Stop crying, you're officially 17 now." **_

_**"I-I know. I c-can't s-stop." Alphonse hiccoughed.**_

_**For the next 30 minutes, Al cried the tears he couldn't cry for the past 5 years. He cried for Edward's pain as he went through surgery, he cried for Nina's death, he cried for his nonexistent soul, he cried for Martel, he cried for Shou Tucker's madness to revive Nina, he cried for all those days he had watched his brother with a terrible truth.**_

_**"Niisan..F-Forgive me.." he sobbed.**_

_**"It's all right, it's all right.." **_

_**"I-I couldn't help it." Al choked with raspy breaths. He held on to his brother's sleeves and pressed his ear further into his chest. "I'm sorry for thinking.." Al swallowed hard. "I almost d-didn't want my b-body back.."**_

_**"Calm down, you're speaking too fast. It's all right." Edward coaxed. **_

_**"I..I wanted to be with you. Those five years gave us no choice but to stay together and I felt closer to you.."**_

_**Edward opened his mouth to speak before Alphonse put his fingers over his lips.**_

_**"I know it's selfish, but Niisan, I couldn't help thinking that because..because.."**_

_**"Shh..tell me later. You need to rest." Edward pulled away so that he can look at his brother's face. "Besides, it isn't selfish if someone else thought the same." **_

_**Alphonse looked at him with confusion.**_

_**"But I wanted to bring your body back so that I can hold you properly. Isn't that being closer?" He asked with a smile.**_

_**Alphonse closed his eyes and went back to burying his head in his chest.**_

_**"Niisan?"**_

_**"Mm?"**_

_**"We'll always be together, right?"**_

_**"Always, Al. Always.." **_


	5. Chapter 5

**Promise**

**Disclaimer****: Fullmetal Alchemist (c) Arakawa Hiromu**

**Rate****: PG -15 **

**Warnings****: Elricest. The Holocaust. Language.**

**Summary****: Ed and Al are taken away to a concentration camp and along the journey, their memories and their promise remind them of how the events occurring to them at the moment are related to the past.**

**Author's comments****: Ewwww I really hate this story now! DX I wish I never thought of it in the first place!!**

**Homosexuals weren't allowed to have their hands under their blankets because "****You queer arse-holes aren't going to start wanking here!"**

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

**Ed felt his brother's agony and embarrassment as the SS officers shaved every inch of hair on their body, which included the genitals as well. He was almost able to feel the vibrating machine buzzing across his brother's skin and he shivered as he remembered how it previously touched his own skin and tore every strand.**

**He hated that it was touching the one place where only he and Al should be allowed to touch and he clenched his fists in anger at how he grimaced from trying to suppress a wince. **

**But worse still was when his brown locks were mercilessly torn from their roots and brushed away to be collected for later (to be used as blankets and sheets for the citizens of Germany, unbeknownst to anyone). **

**He wished he could use his cold hands to grab the big locks of earthen hair that fell to the ground like loose feathers. But already his hands were full of the flesh of other men who had gone through the process. As if Fate couldn't have enough of those two, Al was shoved into the crowd just as Ed was pushed backwards.**

**"Al!" **

**"Niisan!" **

**Ed studied every face he saw, frantically searching familiar silver eyes. He wanted to scream in pure horror at the same time. The shaving shed individuals without unique characteristics. Everybody was equal. In just 30 seconds, a person was turned into a body without identity. A man without a name. A prisoner of war. A victim.**

**His hands flew all around. Grapsing, pulling, pushing. He tried to block the sound of feet crushing an unlucky man on the floor to death with his calls for Al. His shouts were desperate, his voice cracking with fear. His hands pushing and grabbing and pulling aside cold-sweated bodies.**

**His heart was beating uncomfortably fast and he found himself gasping for air from all the shouting. His fear was causing his vision to become cloudy and his head feel dizzy. **_**No..not here..not now..I can't..I gotta find..**_

**"Niisan!!"**

**The voice woke Ed's mind. He fought to stay conscience as he stumbled towards the voice. He tripped and fell in someone's arms. He looked up and saw the eyes he was looking for. "Al...hey.."**

**Al pulled him towards a wall with difficulty and let his head roll back onto the walls while keeping him standing up. He let his brother breathe from the cracks and struggled to keep him from falling to the floor. **

**The atmosphere was stifling as though it thickened with the chattering breaths of fear and sorrow in the room. Many were crying. Of mourning, hopelessness, or joy of still being alive. Al had long stopped being one of those men, and he quietly continued to help Ed keep his legs on the ground and breathe.**

**A few SS officers strolled through the confused crowd, striking anyone who got in their path without a care. They strolled about, hand picking fit men. There was much commotion as they went through as no one wanted to be in their way. So naturally, bodies were pushing themselves far onto the wall as much as they could. Al saw this and quickly got in front of Ed and placed his palms on either side of his head and held tight. His back was shoved against multiple times but he would do anything, he thought, to keep his brother from getting hurt.**

**Because Edward was partially hidden behind Alphonse and he was pale from lack of oxygen, he was not chosen by the officers although he easily would have been because of his strongly packed body build. The chosen men were taken out of the barracks where they would be given the job of placing the bodies of their family and friends in the furnaces.**

**Other than the sobs and the occasional blows, it was deathly quiet in the room. Even Ed was able to see the sunken, hopeless looks in everybody's eyes. Gone were the flickers of fear in their eyes, gone were pride, greed, wrath, and lust. In just 15 minutes, damned souls who entered a living Hell on Earth lost their reason of existence in smoke. Damned souls, seeking for freedom and rescue with hardly any hope of obtaining either.**

**And it was all too fast.**

**Suddenly, they were ordered to run, the wind blowing on them cruelly. But they didn't feel the pain of the cold nor the cold itself, they just ran. Their feet took them to another barrack. An acrid-smelling liquid awaited them. Disinfectant. Then a hot shower. Then run some more. To another barrack. Clothes were thrown at them in random; shoes, shirts, pants…**

**Prisoner's clothing.**

**At last, they were ordered to stop to change into their clothes. What a relief it was to cover oneself with clothes! Although the clothes were as thin as paper it was still better than having bare skin be beaten by the wind. The prisoners exchanged clothes to fit their size (as Edward did much to his annoyance).**

**Alphonse helped button Edward's shirt. "Brother…" he murmured. "Are you…is this…" his voice trailed off, not sure of what he wanted to ask.**

"**It's ok, Al. This is only the beginning; we're not going to lose now." He put a reassuring hand on his shoulder but Al was able to see doubt darkening his golden orbs. He yearned to embrace him and rest his cheek on his shoulder like he did only a day ago.**

**Only a day ago…**

**Was it really only a day ago when they were peacefully drinking warm stew in comfortable cotton-lined clothing? Only a few hours since they were both sleeping in each other's arms, without a care in the world? Did they only arrive here this morning? Is it still morning? What time is it? Al didn't know. The course of the day left him at loss of any sense of time. **

**Before those thoughts shrouded his emotions and have his body react accordingly to them with tears, a club suddenly fell hard upon Edward's hand and he gave a yelp as he abruptly pulled it back before another blow hit him hard across the face and sent him sprawling through the mud.**

"**Niisan!" Al cried in horror, immediately running to his side.**

**Before he could take a second step a third blow hit him hard across the abdomen. All breath escaped him as the hit sent him down to the mud as well, clutching his stomach and trying to breath. Oh, how it hurt! How the pain had temporarily numbed his legs and squeezed his lungs! Or perhaps it was fear that was tightening his respiratory system. Or perhaps it was anguish that was also squeezing tears out of his eyes.**

**Al didn't know.**

"_**You motherfuckers,**_**" hissed the officer. "**_**trying to do homo shit behind our backs, are we? You'll learn that you just can't do that anymore. If we find you doing that again we'll fuckin' kill you on the spot do you hear us!?**_**"**

**Al didn't understand but he nodded anyway, tears marking his helplessness to do anything else. Oh, how that voice pierced through understanding and compassion…**

"_**Same goes for all of you!**_**" He spat. "**_**Now get up and run to that barrack over there and stop lazying around!**_** Los!"**

"**Al…"**

**He felt Ed's presence but he didn't move. Edward reached out for him but mid-way he hesitated. He let his hand drop and continued to call for him.**

"**C'mon, Alphonse. We need to go…they'll kill us if we don't leave…"**

"**Then leave me here, Niisan. Go and survive without me. I don't have a reason to live anymore if my reason is suddenly doing things that he wouldn't be doing."**

"**Al, we don't have a choice…if we're gonna survive-"**

"**And what if we don't!?" He shouted. "I don't want to die ashamedly in their hands because I actually believed that we can survive this and I didn't!"**

"**Al! Don't talk like you're already dead! Come on, it's just right there! Don't give up!" He pulled Al's arm and helped him up. He wavered on his feet and stared straight ahead, his silver eyes turning grey. He whimpered as he reluctantly took a step forward.**

"**That's it, Al. We're gonna make it…"**

"**But I don't want to…" he whimpered.**

"**I know you don't but trust me, it will be all right afterwards."**

"**I don't trust you anymore, Brother.."**

"**What?" Edward stopped in his tracks and stared at Al. He stopped too but didn't turn to face him.**

"**I don't trust you because you're not the person I love anymore. You're no longer the Niisan I know. The person I love wouldn't have given himself in to the officers, no. He died and I don't know who you are."**

"**Al…g-get a grip, you're not making any sense.."**

"**I don't know you, you're not my brother." He turned to face him, who stood there transfixed in surprise and confusion.**

"**Wha-"**

"**And I'm no longer Alphonse. He also died in the flames. I'm…someone else.."**

**With that he turned and began to jog, ignoring the pain and Edward. The older sibling stood there, dumbstruck. What did he mean? Not Alphonse? Did the courses of just one day change him that much? **_**Just one day?**_

**Ed didn't know. He too lost the sense of time and his whole world was crashing with every step that the stranger that was once his loving brother took towards a house of death.**

**--**

"_**...Niichan?"**_

_**"What is it?"**_

_**Alphonse was hugging his knees and was chewing his lip nervously. He was like that since they came back from Winry's 7**__**th**__** birthday party. **_

_**"It..It was an accident.." Alphonse stammered.**_

_**"What? What happened?"**_

_**"I sort of...well, whe-when I-I tried to kiss Winry's cheek like M-Mother told us to, I..I.." Al bent his head down and mumbled, "I accidentally kissed her on the lips."**_

_**For a while, no one said anything. Alphonse was waiting for the radar of jealousy that would surround his brother. He imagined Edward frowning angrily because his little brother had his first kiss before he did.**_

_**"Wow..how'd it taste like??"**_

_**Alphonse looked up in bewilderment. Sure enough, his brother's face was glowing. "Well?"**_

_**Alphonse thought that it was a trap. But he knew his brother well, that tone of voice and his eyes were too wide to be fake. **_

_**"Well, i-it didn't taste like anything actually..It was just...soft.."**_

_**"Aw, Al!" Edward jumped on the bed. "That's lame! C'mon, don't you have anything else to say??" He was as agitated as a school girl.**_

_**"But..but..Aren't you mad at me?" **_

_**Edward frowned. "Why would I?"**_

_**"B-Because..." He hesitated before saying, "n-nothing." **_

_**Edward went on smiling, totally clueless, at Alphonse. Waiting. Alphonse didn't take the hint and tried to get out of the room before Edward grabbed his brother's waist and wrestled him to the ground.**_

_**"Wha..? Niichan! W..wait! No!!" Alphonse screamed hysterically. **_

_**"I won't stop until you tell me!!" Edward continued to tickle Alphonse. He choked in his laughter and started gasping for breath.**_

_**"Mother!! Heh-heeeelp!!!" He screamed. **_

_**Edward jumped back just as Mother burst through the door. "Alphonse? What happened!?" She bent over Alphonse and helped him sit up. He was able to breathe better and his gasps became shorter.**_

_**"Edward Elric, I swear that if you do that again.." Mother tried not to smile.**_

_**Edward giggled hugged Mother. Alphonse glared at his goody-goody brother and pouted angrily. Mother saw this and cupped him in her arms as well. They breathed her flowery fragrance that brought that beautiful smile with her. Her calming smell flowed into the little boys' bodies and they smiled happily as well.**_

_**"Don't make a lot of noise, all right?" **_

"_**Yes, Mother." **_

_**She chuckled and got up and went to continue her chores.**_

_**After she left, they looked at each other and giggled. **_

"_**So.." Edward grinned.**_

_**Alphonse wished he had followed his mother when he had the chance. "I don't want to."**_

"_**Aww, poor Alphonse-kun is embarrrrassed" Edward chanted. Alphonse turned bright red. "Not true." He muttered angrily.**_

_**Edward laughed and edged closer to Alphonse. He tried to crawl away but Edward grabbed his wrist and said, "Why aren't you telling me anyway? Aren't we supposed to tell each other everything?"**_

"_**..." **_

"_**You think kissing is a big deal?"**_

"_**..."**_

"_**Hi, Earth to Alphonse!" He rapped his knuckles on his brother's head. "Stop it!"**_

"_**Why?" **_

"_**Because.."**_

"_**See? If you can't say anything about something 'bad', then it's not bad!"**_

_**Alphonse stopped short.**_

_**Ed continued. "If you can't tell me, can I at least try it too?"**_

"_**Try what?"**_

"_**Well, kissing?"**_

"_**On who??"**_

"_**Well, you of course. I wouldn't kiss Winry in a million years! Girls are weird..except for Mom."**_

"_**..ok." Alphonse agreed. They had promised after all.**_

_**Edward eagerly pressed his lips against Alphonse's and kissed him tenderly. At that moment, little Alphonse found that his brother was right to kiss him. Winry can never be better than him…**_


End file.
